Cold rolling apparatus



April 4, 1967 TOSHlYUKl KAJIWARA 3,312,416 I COLD ROLLING APPARATUS Filed March 8, 1965 F/G PRIOR ART 5 5 D c F (5L IDABL E MOU/V 7'//V6 FOR Q 2 MEMBER 5) F76. 2

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ATTORNEY:

United States Patent 3,312,416 COLD ROLLING APPARATUS Toshiyuki Kajiwara, 1654 Narusawacho, Hitachi-shi, Japan Filed Mar. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 437,950 Claims priority, application Japan, Mar. 10, 1964, 39/13,053 Claims. (Cl. 242-78.1)

The present invention relates to an improvement in cold rolling apparatus of the type in which coils of relatively large thickness having been rolled by hot rolling and thereafter subjected to surface treatment are again subjected to rolling to produce coils of sheet steel.

Cold rolling apparatus are generally arranged in a manner that coilers are disposed on opposite sides of a rolling mill proper and a coil box is disposed on the opposite side of the inlet-side coiler to supply to the rolling mill steel rolled by hot rolling and wound in the form of coil. In the cold rolling apparatus, the coil supplied from the coil box is passed through the reversible rolling mill for being taken up on the outlet-side coiler, the rolling operation being then reversed to effect successive rolling on the coil. The coil having been subjected to cold rolling is then subjected to temper rolling in a skin pass mill for the purpose of improving surface luster, mechanical properties and flatness of the material.

Recently, a combination rolling apparatus in which a cold rolling apparatus and a temper rolling apparatus are combined together has been developed and known in the art. Although this combination rolling apparatus is quite effective to attain the rolling operation of the kind described, it is still defective in that difficulty is encountered in guiding the tip of a coil to the rolling mill due to a considerably remote distance between the rolling mill and a coil box or a pay-off reel and in that this apparatus occupies a very wide space.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to providea cold rolling apparatus of the type in which a pay-oil reel and a coil box are eliminated and in lieu thereof a single take-up and pay-off unit is provided to attain the required duty and to simplify the cold rolling operation.

There are other objects and particularities of the present invention which will become obvious from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a combination rolling apparatus of conventional type;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an embodiment of the cold rolling apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the inventive apparatus.

At first, the structure of a combination rolling apparatus well known in the art will be described with reference to FIG. 1 so that the improvement according to the present invention will clearly be understood. In the combina tion rolling apparatus of conventional type, a deflector roller B, a coiler C and a pay-oil reel D for use during temper rolling are disposed on the front side of a rolling mill A, while on the rear side of the rolling mill A there are disposed a deflector roller E, a coiler F and a coil box G for accommodating therein coils subjected to hot rolling. The arrangement of these units has a great influence on the rolling efliciency. As will be obvious from FIG. 1, in the combination rolling apparatus of conventional type, the coil box G and the pay-off reel D are disposed at a position considerably remote from the rolling mill A and thus it is diflicult to properly guide the tip of the coil to the rolling mill for rolling operation. Further, this rolling apparatus is undesirable because it 0ccupies a vast space.

The present invention eliminates the drawbacks involved in the rolling apparatus of prior type and proposes a combination coiler and uncoiler which can simultaneously serve as both a coil box for use in cold rolling and a pa'y-ofl. reel for use in temper rolling.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 1 designates a four high rolling mill which is driven from an electric motor 2 through a pinion stand 3 and a driving spindle 4. A combination coiler and uncoiler according to the invention is generally designated by reference nu meral 5 and is serviceable for combined operation of a conventional coil box, a pay-off reel, etc. This combination coiler and uncoiler 5 is mounted on a bed 7 slidably mounted on a base 6 and has its drum 10 rotated from an electric motor 8 through a reduction gearing 9 so that sheet steel can be taken up thereon in the form of coil or can be paid ofl therefrom. The drum 10 is provided with a wedge-shaped shaft (not shown) which is axially movable so that the axial movement of the shaft relative to the drum causes radial expansion and contraction of the outside diameter of the drum 10 whereby to support the inside diameter of the coils thereon and relieve the supporting force therefrom. Thus, it will be understood that the drum 10 can serve the combined operation of a conventional pay-off reel and a coil box for use in temper rolling and a conventional coiler for use in reversible rolling. Moreover, the outside diameter of the drum 10 is stepwise variable. A hydraulic cylinder 11 is operatively connected with the bed 7 to cause the center of a coil about the drum 10 to align with the center of the succeeding work unit, that is by the operation of the hydraulic cylinderll through the bed 7, the center of the coil on the drum 10 can be made to align with the center of the coil passage in the succeeding work unit, that is, the rolling mill 1. The bed 7 is equipped with a fixing means or hydraulic actuated brake 31 which fixes the position of the combination coiler and uncoiler 5 during the coiling and uncoiling operation. The fixing means 31 is adapted to be hydraulically operated and an arrangement is made with hydraulic lines 32 operatively connecting the hydraulic operated members 11 and 31 to a suitable conventional valve 33 that will selectively connect the hydraulic lines 32 to a hydraulic pressure supply line 34 and a discharge line 35. This hydraulic arrangement can be used to cause fluid pressure to selectively act on the driving cylinder 11 for the bed 7 and an actuating cylinder for the fixing means 31 and the fixing means 31 is relieved from its fixing action during the movement of the bed by the bed driving cylinder 11.

A coiler 12 is disposed on the rear side of the rolling mill 1 and fixed on the foundation. The coiler 12 may be of any well-known structure hitherto employed in the art. A means 13 for supporting the tip or free end 16 of the drum 10 is pivotally supported on a frame 14 attached to the rolling mill 1 so as to deal with deflection of the drum 10 by the coil. This supporting means 13 can make a swinging movement by the action of a hydraulic cylinder 15 mounted on the frame 14 so as to detachably engage the tip 16 of the drum 10. As shown in FIGURE 2, the cylinders 15 are provided with hydraulic lines 36 that lead to a valve 37 of conventional construction for selectively connecting them to a discharge line 38 and a hydraulic pressure supply line 39. The tip supporting means 13 is adapted to make detachable engagement with the tip 16 of the drum 10 even in case of the movement of the combination coiler and uncoiler 5 relative thereto. A similar tip supporting means is also provided to support the tip of the drum of the coiler 12 and is designated by the same reference numeral. Deflector rollers 17 are rotatably supported on the top of the frame 14 to guide the sheet steel when it passes through the rolling mill 1. A guide member 18 is provided to guide the sheet steel being uncoiled from the combination coiler and uncoiler 5 towards the rolling mill 1. A pressure roller 19 is provided to press the coil from behind during the uncoiling operation of the coil and is pivoted on the tip of an arm 21 arranged for swinging movement by a hydraulic cylinder 20. A shearing means 22 is operatively associated with coil turning means 24 and a coil opener 23 so as to sever as required the leading end of a coil. The coil is suitably turned by the coil turning means 24 so that the leading end of the coil when mounted on the drum takes a predetermined position and thus the uncoiling operation of the coil can advantageously be eifected. The coil turned by the tuming means 24 is received by a coil car 25 and is then delivered on a coil transporting conveyor 26 on the inlet side of the rolling mill 1. The coil carried by the conveyor 26 is then received by a coil car 27 and is mounted on the drum 10 of the combination coiler and uncoiler 5. A coil car 28 is also provided on the outlet side of the rolling mill 1 to remove a coil subjected to final rolling from the coiler 12 and to deliver it on a conveyor 29. Rails 30 are provided for the travel of the coil cars 27 and 28towards and away from the respective combination coiler and uncoiler 5 and the coiler 12.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that according to the present invention the combination coiler and uncoiler being a single unit is serviceable as both a coil box and a pay-0E reel and thus incorporation of such combination coiler and uncoiler in rolling apparatus can remarkably reduce the cost of equipment and a space required for the installation of rolling apparatus. It will also be understood that according to the present invention the combination coiler and uncoiler can be disposed in close proximity to the rolling mill and thus sheet guiding operation is made easier with the result that the production efliciency is increased and stable rolling operation is effected.

What is claimed is:

g 1. A cold rolling apparatus comprising a rolling mill, a coiler disposed on the rear side of said rolling mill, a combination coiler and uncoiler disposed on the front side of said rolling mill, a drum rotatably mounted at one end on a portion of said combination coiler and uncoiler for taking up thereon and paying oil therefrom a coil by the rotation thereof, said drum including means for selectively step-wise varying its outside diameter in the radial direction, means operatively associated with said combination coiler and uncoiler for moving said drum to align the center of the coil about said drum with the center of the passage in said rolling mill, means for braking said combination coiler and uncoiler in place to prevent any vibration of said combination coiler and uncoiler during the take-up and pay-off operation of the coil, said braking means being hydraulically actuated to brake said combination coiler and uncoiler in position and to release it from the braked position, and means for supporting the other end tip of said drum against deflection.

2. A cold rolling apparatus to claim 1, in which said drum moving means and said braking means are hydraulically interengaged in a manner that said braking means is released from its braking action during the operation of said drum moving means.

3. A cold rolling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said supporting means includes an arm having bearing means at one end for receiving said other end tip and being pivotally mounted at its other end for pivoting said bearing means into and out of engagement with said other end tip.

4. A cold rolling apparatus according to claim 3, including hyraulically actuated means for selectively pivoting said arm.

5. A cold rolling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means includes an arm having bearing means at one end for receiving said other end tip and being pivotally mounted at its other end for pivoting said bearing means into and out of engagement with said other end tip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,011,810 8/1935 Gardner et al. 24278.l X 2,578,953 12/1951 Tyrrell 24278.1 2,641,416 6/1953 McCleary et al 242-57.1 2,735,630 2/1956 Ziebolz 24257.1

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

N. L. MINTZ, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO. 3,312,416 April 4, 1967 Toshiyuki Kajiwara It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 3 and 4 for "Toshiyuki Kajiwara, 1654 Narusawacho, Hitachi-shi, Japan" read Toshiyuki Kajiwara, Hitachi-shi, Japan, assignor to Hitachi, Ltd., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan Signed and sealed this 7th day of November 1967.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer 

1. A COLD ROLLING APPARATUS COMPRISING A ROLLING MILL, A COILER DISPOSED ON THE REAR SIDE OF SAID ROLLING MILL, A COMBINATION COILER AND UNCOILER DISPOSED ON THE FRONT SIDE OF SAID ROLLING MILL, A DRUM ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT ONE END ON A PORTION OF SAID COMBINATION COILER AND UNCOILER FOR TAKING UP THEREON AND PAYING OFF THEREFROM A COIL BY THE ROTATION THEREOF, SAID DRUM INCLUDING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY STEP-WISE VARYING ITS OUTSIDE DIAMETER IN THE RADIAL DIRECTION, MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID COMBINATION COILER AND UNCOILER FOR MOVING SAID DRUM TO ALIGN THE CENTER OF THE COIL ABOUT SAID DRUM WITH THE CENTER OF THE PASSAGE IN SAID ROLLING MILL, MEANS FOR BRAKING SAID COMBINATION COILER AND UNCOILER IN PLACE TO PREVENT ANY VIBRATION OF SAID COMBINATION COILER AND UNCOILER DURING THE TAKE-UP AND PAY-OFF OPERATION OF THE COIL, SAID BRAKING MEANS BEING HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED TO BRAKE SAID COMBINATION COILER AND UNCOILER IN POSITION AND TO RELEASE IT FROM THE BRAKED POSITION, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE OTHER END TIP OF SAID DRUM AGAINST DEFLECTION. 